Rezaei: No Nuclear Doctrine Change Yet
Iran’s security chief says he has read Vance’s letter without replying, calls the shift in US tone a good sign, and says no formal decision has been made to change the nuclear doctrine, though renewed war could prompt a reassessment
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on Saturday that no new official or governmental decision has been made to change Iran’s nuclear doctrine. He added that he has read the letter from US Vice President JD Vance and has not yet responded, in an interview carried by Iranian state media.
“I have read the letter from Vance, Trump’s deputy, and I have not yet responded to it,” Rezaei said. He said the tone of the US message has changed completely, which he called a good sign that the Iranian nation has consolidated its victory. Iran International and The New Region reported that he would not disclose the letter’s contents.
On the nuclear question, Rezaei said no decision has been taken to alter the doctrine. Iran International reported that he also said a renewed war could prompt a reassessment, particularly after attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The remark touches a debate that has grown since the war began on 2/28. Iran’s rejection of nuclear weapons has rested on a fatwa by the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, first publicized in 2003. Reuters reported in March that hardliners were openly calling for a bomb, and Iranian media said government bodies were urgently weighing withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Rezaei himself hinted at a shift in a state television interview on 8/23, asking why Iran should not pursue nuclear weapons when it was attacked despite its NPT membership. On September 20, he said Iran remained committed to the fatwa and had not changed its doctrine, but that US and Israeli actions gave Tehran grounds to leave the treaty. SBS reported on 10/20 that calls for nuclear armament are growing among hardliners.
The letter is the other thread. The Wall Street Journal first reported on Wednesday that Vance wrote to Rezaei at Trump’s direction to explore a framework for resuming negotiations. Axios reported that Vance wrote that any talks to head off US strikes would require discussions on the nuclear issue. The Washington Post’s David Ignatius reported that Vance offered to meet Rezaei personally and asked Tehran to send representatives with authority to negotiate on the nuclear file. A US official described Rezaei as the essential point of contact in Tehran, and US intelligence believes he has spoken with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei since the letter arrived. Iranian leaders reportedly saw the direct approach as a sign of respect, but there is no indication they have changed their nuclear position. Trump said the outreach concerned medical supplies.
Iranian agencies confirmed receipt on Thursday and said no reply had been sent. Tasnim said Tehran was waiting for Washington to meet its stated conditions. Rezaei said on October 11 that the US had accepted some of Iran’s seven conditions but that its response was inadequate.
The statement matters because Iran’s nuclear status remains unverified. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that his agency had seen no activity to repair damaged facilities but that its inspectors have no access to confirm it or to verify that no material was diverted.
The doctrine remark comes as Iranian negotiators hold talks with Qatari mediators in Doha. US officials have also told Gulf states to prepare for a short, intense campaign after the March 3 midterms, and Trump is weighing a large strike. Rezaei’s reply to Vance, and whether Tehran changes its nuclear stance, may determine which track prevails.